SMART Clark Giga City. - Bobby Ray Parks typified TNT's resolve by scoring 36 points and leading the Tropang Giga to a 102-101 victory over Phoenix Super LPG Wednesday that forced a deciding game in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals duel at the Smart 5G-powered AUF Gym in Angeles City.
Parks scored 12 of his points in the fourth period, the last two off charities that made it a 100-95 game.
Matthew Wright's triple pulled the Fuel Masters within two, but Simon Enciso practically put the game away with two freebies of his own that made it a two-possession game, only two seconds left.
The win forged a 2-2 count in the best-of-five series with Game 5 to be played on Friday.
"We're fighting for our lives here," said Parks, who saw action for 46 minutes. He also had six rebounds, three assists and two steals against four turnovers.
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Inserted into the starting lineup as part of the adjustments coach Bong Ravena promised, Jayson Castro scored 21 points while Roger Pogoy and Enciso added 18 and 14 points, respectively, in the wire-to-wire win.
"Our main goal is to just simply win the game, make the series even so we had to come out with our strongest starter na si Jayson," explained Ravena. "Hopefully, we could continue with it in Game 5 on Friday."
Phoenix valiantly tried to close the series out but fell behind early and even stared at a couple of 17-point deficits in the third quarter.
Wright did score 18 of his team-high 34 points in the third in leading the Fuel Masters back to within 68-69 on the strength of an 11-0 run to close the canto.
TNT, however, quickly regrouped with five triples to start the fourth, two of those from Pogoy, as the lead stretched to 86-75.
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Phoenix simply would not buckle under pressure, mustering a charge that fell just short in the end.
Jason Perkins added 19 points and Calvin Abueva a dubious near-triple-double of 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight turnovers before fouling out in the last 16 seconds, with the Tropa ahead 92-98. (NC)
The Scores:
TNT 102 - Parks 36, Castro 21, Pogoy 18, Enciso 14, Washington 6, Erram 4, Montalbo 3, Rosario 0, De Leon 0, Semerad 0, Reyes 0.
PHOENIX 101 - Wright 34, Perkins 19, Abueva 17, Jazul 11, Chua 10, Rios 4, Garcia 4, Heruela 2, Napoles 0, Reyes 0, Intal 0, Mallari 0.
Quarters: 21-12; 48-38; 69-68; 102-101.
